The Space In Between

Chapter 1

Caroline fidgeted with her phone as she waited for Kate to come downstairs.

"Here's your wine ma'am." A young man placed her drink on the table in front her.

"Thanks." Caroline smiled awkwardly. He couldn't be much older than William.

As the waiter moved out of the way Kate stepped in from behind.

"Shall I sit here?" Kate said through tight lips.

"If you like?"

"Do you want a drink? We've got about 10 mins." said Caroline as she signalled the waiter.

She leant towards Kate, "You look so beautiful."

Kate settled herself indifferently into the chair and ordered a gin and tonic.

"You are F….unbelievable…you know that!"

"Kate what you have to understand is that this is very ne-"

"I was so excited when you told me that you'd booked this place for the weekend," said Kate with a real edge to her voice. "I was so flattered, because it was the first time, that you'd acknowledged our relationship outside the house. Acknowledged that I was your partner!"

Caroline felt the jump that her heart made, from a steady beat, to an uncomfortable jog, "I'm sorry but I—"

"Then you go and book two separate rooms!" Kate said. Her jaw tightened with every extra word. "Mentally, I've left, physically I'm here, other than that I'm gone. It's only that Greg is coming for dinner or I'd be going home by now!"

"Kate, I'm sorry…this is hard for me…but I did-"

Kate seemed unable to stop. It was like she'd taken the handbrake off.

"You know Caroline, for me, the idea of spending two days and two nights, alone, with you in one room, was the biggest thing about this weekend. I though yes at last…at last things had begun to change. That I wasn't just a mid-life experiment! That this was what being with me was about," Kate straightened her back and folded her arms tightly across her chest, "but obviously this relationship is not important enough for you…to…to get over yourself…to think of someone else…to take a risk… to acknowledge who or…or what you are. Well, I'm sick of always being the one that has to compromise! I'm done with it! It's always some kind of drama with you…isn't it? It's never-ending…I'm over it!"

The waiter placed her drink on the table in front of her.

The uncomfortable jog had turned into a pounding gallop. Caroline stared at her hands and felt as though she was slowly sliding into a familiar tunnel. As was her ability to speak.

She looked up and caught Kate's dark eyes as she turned back from the fire. The flames still reflected in them. She tried to breathe.

Kate's momentum fed off its own energy, "I get that you have an important job, a high profile, and all this other stuff going on around you, but how long are you going to hide behind that Caroline? It's 2013! You're 46! The head of a large progressive school, where you could be choosing to set an example! So try growing up! It's not always about you!"

The questioning of her competency at work flicked a switch in Caroline. She sat up straight, drew a deep breath in and focused on Kate.

But Kate hadn't finished yet, "I'm too old to be acting like a schoolgirl, away on a summer camp…trying to sneak in to a bedroom with you. Just for what Caroline?…hmm?…bit of an embarrassing fumble?...because that's all it is really…isn't it?"

Caroline's exhale was audible.

She fell back into the tunnel.

The force of Caroline's breath caught Kate in the throat as she inhaled and it startled her. It stopped her momentum with a jolt.

"Arhh…Ms Elliot, there you are," said the hotel manager as he approached, " it's all fixed up then. Here are the keycards for your house double. It's Number 28 so that's 3 doors down, at the end of the hall.

"I hope you don't mind?" he shrugged his shoulders and looked from Caroline to Kate before he continued, "but I've taken the liberty of transferring your luggage across. Both rooms."

Caroline blinked several times as she tried to focus. She automatically smiled at him like it was her go to default face. She nodded in approval and thanked him for his understanding. He placed the keycards on the table and left.

Kate's eyes followed him. Spellbound. Shocked. Where do I go from here? She snapped her head around to look at Caroline. Her mouth was dry. Her mind, so full of angry words moments ago, had to scramble to find a word. Any word at all.

Caroline stared at the keycards. No longer stuck in the tunnel.

The silence is loaded.

Caroline took a deep forceful breath in and stood up.

"Caroline?" Kate said stunned. "Caro—"

Caroline threw her hand up to stop her, she kept her voice level and tight. Her blue eyes were on fire. She looked directly at Kate, "you've more than had your say! I think you've made it pretty clear how you feel! Where you stand!"

Kate tried to speak again.

"I haven't finished. Thank you, for your generous character assessment, and your wholehearted support!" Caroline snapped out coldly "and given, that you are far more concerned with Greg, and yourself, I won't ruin the rest of your evening, with my company!"

The last three words had barely made it out of Caroline's throat before the rush of emotions, that had been hovering around, threatened to take over. She grabbed her keycard and hurried out of the restaurant. She didn't want to give any more weight to Kate's assessment of her.

Kate stared into her drink, somewhat spellbound by the last five minutes. Her mind rushed through the volley of words that had just been exchanged. Hers and Caroline's. She is stunned by both the suddenness and depth of her own anger. She stood up, and as she reached for the remaining keycard, could hear the echo of Caroline's words as they started to resonate in her heart. Oh Christ McKenzie…you and your poisonous mouth! Shit! She turned to follow Caroline and bumped straight into the chest of Greg.

"Kate! Whoa!... Hello Kate." Greg took her by the shoulders and moved his head until he had caught her line of sight. "How are you? It's so lovely to see you?"

He then pulled her into big hug. "You look gorgeous."